[1] In response to serious allegations of impropriety involving his administration, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim promised in not so many words that complaints or action taken against errant government officials or agencies will be “grounded in law and backed by a thorough investigation”. 

[2] On its face, that sounds entirely reasonable. Of course, due process matters. But the growing public anger is not about the principle of due process; it is about the credibility of the system that is supposed to uphold it.

[3] Time and again, Malaysians have watched the machinery of justice falter. Cases are withdrawn halfway through trial. High-profile prosecutions end in DNAA. Corruption investigations appear selective – allies are excused, opponents are hounded. The law seems to fall heavily on some while barely touching certain preachers, politicians, and power brokers. Malfeasance is regular, routine and rampant.

[4] Dubious appointments of individuals with questionable integrity, tarnished reputations, and cosy political ties also do little to inspire confidence. When leaders repeatedly elevate such figures to high office, public trust in the institutions they represent inevitably erodes.

[5] Politicians may believe these episodes pass quickly. They do not. Citizens see through the constant hypocrisy, manipulation, and dishonesty; it chips away at confidence in the system. Over time, scepticism hardens into disbelief. Cynicism replaces hope. People begin to assume the worst because experience has taught them to expect it.

[6] Governance ultimately rests on an unwritten compact between government and citizens – a compact built on trust. Trust that leaders will act honestly. Trust that institutions will operate impartially. Trust that the Constitution will be upheld faithfully. Without that trust, even the best-worded assurances ring hollow.

[7] But what we have witnessed, time and again, is a betrayal of that trust and a profound absence of integrity. All four previous prime ministers have let us down. Nearly all our national institutions now appear broken, corrupted, or dysfunctional. How can anyone reasonably believe that such a system will act in the nation’s best interests? 

[8] It is time to say it out loud – without mincing words or being apologetic about it – our governance system is broken and can no longer be trusted to function the way it is supposed to. Successive governments have sown dishonesty, acted without integrity, and abandoned the basic principles of good governance; now they are reaping a harvest of doubt, suspicion, and scepticism.

[9] This is the backdrop against which the Cabinet’s decision to appoint a committee of senior civil servants to investigate the allegations involving the MACC chief must be viewed. Civil servants are not independent actors; they answer to the prime minister and ultimately serve at his pleasure. It was, after all, senior officials who helped conceal Najib’s criminality in the 1MDB scandal. Scepticism that such an internal investigation may prove little more than political puppetry – designed to obscure rather than uncover the truth – is therefore entirely justified. Indeed, there is a long and troubling history of investigations and inquiries bent to serve political ends.

[10] The bottom line is this: those who hold public office must be beyond reproach; there must not be even a hint of impropriety. That is the standard Malaysians expect – and deserve. Until good men and women are empowered to serve, and until institutional integrity is restored, our nation will continue to languish and public trust in government will flounder.

[11] Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim now has a choice. He can go down in history as the man who fixed a broken system or someone who lacked the courage to act when his nation needed it most. He can immediately restore faith in the system by acting decisively on allegations of impropriety or engage in theatre. He can appoint men and women of integrity to high office or continue to shield politicians and officials who possess neither honour nor accountability. He can build a system that is transparent and free of political patronage or settle for the status quo that has failed Malaysians time and again. But one thing he cannot do is continue asking Malaysians to place their trust in a broken system.

[Dennis Ignatius |Kuala Lumpur | 23 February 2026]